For purposes of the present disclosure, passive components are defined as components that have no source of power other than the input signal(s), e.g. resistors, capacitors, inductors and transformers, while “active” as used herein is intended as defined in the McGraw Hill Dictionary of Scientific and Technical Terms: “a component such as an electron tube or transistor that is capable of amplifying the current or voltage in a circuit”, which is reasonably assumed to include integrated circuits, and as defined in the IEEE Standard Dictionary of Electrical and Electronics Terms relating to “active” transducers: “A transducer whose output waves are dependent upon sources of power, apart from that supplied by any of the actuating waves.”
Passive components typically have two terminals that constitute two distinct nodes in an electrical circuit, as distinguished from a conductor whose two ends constitute only a single node. While it is possible to operate an active device with only two terminals by utilizing special “phantom” powering techniques, typical active devices have at least three of the following terminals: − DC power, + DC power, input (amplifier), output (amplifier or signal source) and common ground (optionally combined with one DC power terminal).
The present invention is directed to utilizing advanced discrete and/or surface deposition implementations to meet the stringent requirements of compact interface connection assemblies and associated modules incorporating state-of-the art high frequency analog and/or high speed digital active devices, along with the capability of also readily incorporating passive components as required.